Switch



Dec. 22, 1942. A. R. KUHN ErAL 2,306,064

SWITCH Filed April 16, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 /J da "4 20a f za /f l, Z2 ,M 27 a .1. ,f 'f T Z//ff m 1 ,/25 E. 12d T I g .fa J2 fr fV/f 26 -4/ l I i r -JQ J 2 2 j zd 'l I E 43. d? Z I: /7 *2? Y Z /J j fj if .f7

BY i'j/ENTO.

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 22, 1942. A, R, KUHNl 5TM 2,306,064

SWITCH Filed April 16. 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 22, 1942 Queens-Village, N. `Y.,.assignors.to.Metropolitanr Device;Corporation, `Bro oklyn',.=N.Y., a' corporationgofNw York.

ApplicationiAp'rifl 1940, Sei'aIINgjSTO -Claims.

The invention herein disclosed relates* toan electric' switch of the kind that i'senclosed inv ac'abinet.

An'- object of vthe. invention is to provider a switch of this kind in which there is a simple, eiective and comparatively inexpensive switch operating mechanism that' isreliablein operation. vAnother'object 4of the invention is to pro'- vide a simple, durable and eiectivearrangement for eiecting a snap action of the movableelement of the switch. A` further object'oflthe'inventionv is to provide a switch efthisl kind inA which, when the cabinet is. mountedon a-ver tical wall', theA linefconnectionsare'at the top of the switch and the switch-operating handle is in the uplposition whenthe switch is closed;

The. foregoing objects and certain advantagesthat will hereinafter' appear are realizedl in accordance with the invention in the embodiment thereof illustrated inl the accompanyingl drawings and described inv detail below. The. drawings include the following figures:

Fig. 1 which is a plan of the switch with the cover of the cabinet removed;

Fig. 2which is a. transverse sectional eleva-- tion of the same taken on the line 2"-2 of Fig. 1-; Fig. 3 which is an isometric of'v avv bear-ing bracket;

Fig. 4 which is a bottom plan taken on the'line- 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 which is a sectional end elevation taken on the line 5-5`of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 whichfis a sectional elevation taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

The switch illustrated in the drawings is mounted within a cabi-net that is made of sheet metal and that includes a rear-wall I, side walls 2 and 3, and a cover 4. Through-the cover there is a slot 5 and the wall 3 is'providediwith an inwardly extending bearing boss 6. Within the cabinet there is a switch-operating handlel il that is secured'by. and rotatably mcunted'between-its ends on a rivet 8 that extends through the` inner portion ofthe operating handle; there is anv arcuate slot II convexed toward the'axis' ofmovementl of the handle. On the cover there.

isa raised strip I2 which in: the oir positionoffthe* operating handle i'sbeside a sealing opening.; I "Sithrough= thefoperat'ing handle.

Withintliecabinet;` there; are mounted two identical? fuse-switch-.units- I4# and I5- whichl are operat'edconjointly and represent a` double pole switcliaV Thev unit I4 isrepresented in outline byftfhe:v broken lineas itis' identical with the unit I5.' The lunit I5- comprises `a base- I 6 of electrical insulating materiall on which there is formed a screw-r plug fusevreceptaeley I'Il.V About the fuse receptacle I'Ithere is a shoulder I8. The base is securecllin the cablnetbytwoscrews I9-which exteri'd through anlopeningf in the base andare thre'aded'into'the rear wallof' the cabinet. On theupper portion of the shoulder I8, consideringf the f switchl as ymounted vertically, there is secured tothehb'ase aineutrallfitting' 20'which is rivetedini: place-on-.the' basebyrivets that are moldedin tlfievba'se; 'Iheneutraltting includes a 'sect-,ioni 20m which has: two terminal screws 2 I thereim'.v` Thei neutrali ttingf alsor includes an extension 20h to -whichlth'ereis secured a solderless' 'connector 22;. A'barrieri 23 extends from the-fusei receptacle'. I I adjacentther extension 22h OnLtliefopposi-teside of the barrier, there is mountedontthebasefa stationary switch contact 2412 This stationary:switch contact lies in a vertica plane-perpendicular totheplane of the base and tlhasaniextensionf which lies along the surfce'vofthe shoulder! I8; This extension 25 is 'y ejditolthe" base by: a rivet orscrew 26. On theendf' ofl'the extension. 25,-' there. is mounted a solderless'connector'.4 21'; The line. wires are connec'teditoL the.solderlessconnectors 22. and 2l. Theistationary switch'. contact124' is shaped as illustrated' andi extends toI` ai point adjacent the loweri endofi the fuse receptacle andv the end thereof extends itno anfarcz. chute 28 formed on the base atlone side of the fuse receptacle.

Another stationary contact 29is mounted in a verticalfplane perpendicular to the plane of thebase; andfspacedifrom thecontact 24', The end oi"Av vthis contact also. extends into the arc chute 28?; The. contact 29 has an: extension 30 thatextendsint'ov the fuse receptacle whereinit isf'y secured. to` the base. The extensionV 30.y is spacedfrom th'e. base of` the receptacle and is above an: insulating4 washer 3l within. the fuse receptacle.I It'iissecuredin thel fuse receptacle and tOftheba'seV by. arivet. 32 that' extends from aLboss133-2up'on which theextension rests. At thef'end oflth'e .extension 3'0 thereist a raised porticn;I 34?? whichisf substantially atith-e centerY of- This raised portion 34V ci.y

the fuse. receptacle.:

therewith there is a connector 36 which has an' opening through which the boss 33 extends. The insulating washer 3| covers the base of the shell and that portion of the connector 35 Within the fuse receptacle and so electricallyr separates th'e extension of the contact 29 from the shell and the connector 36. The connector 36 extends through a slot in the shell and'. fuse receptacle to' the lower end of the base I5 and has therein a terminal screw 31.

In assembling the fuse receptacle, the shell is rst placed in the receptacle. The connector 36 is next placed in position. The washer 3| is then placed in the fuse receptacle and the extension 30 of the contact 29 is assembled in the receptacle. The one rivet 32 secures the entire assembly in place. It will be seen that through the raised portion 34 of the extension 30 the center contact on a fuse inserted in the fuse receptacle will electrically engage the raised portion 34 and thus eiect an electrical connection with the contact 29. By virtue of the contact of the connector 36 with the shell 35, the connector 36 forms a second contact with the fuse receptacle. Y

Between the. contacts 24- and 29,. there isv a movable switch element 38 consisting rof a sheet of electrical insulating material. This movable element includes' a contact 39 which consists of a single piece of electrical conducting material that extends througha slot formed in the movable element 38 and that ,is .bent .over iorming two wings one lying against each side surface of the movable switchelement 38, The switch element 38 is movable between a position in whichthe contact 39 is between andbridges the` stationary switch contacts 24 and 29, toa position in which the contact 33 is -removedfrom between the contacts 24 and 2S. In this latter position, the contacts 24 and ,29 are separated by the strip of insulating material that constitutes the movable switch element. This switch element is movable from the position shown in Fig. 5 whichl illustrates the switch element in the on position to a position indicated by the center line 4U which is the off position of the switch. It will be seen that in moving the switch element from the on to the olf position, the contact 39 thereon moves into the arc chute 28 and any arc that* is formed in the opening of the switch will be formed in the arc chute.

The movable element 38 togetherwith the'movable switch element of the switch unity I4v is actuated through a cross bar 4I upon which it is mounted. The bross bar 4I is journaled in a bearing bracket 42 that is received in a recess provided therefor at the rear of the base I6 and in a similar bearing bracket in the switch unit I4. The bearing bracketconsists of a piece of sheet metal shaped as illustrated in Fig. 3 to include two walls 42a and 42h and aconnecting wall 42e, the bracket being substantially U-shaped. In the walls 42a and 42h there are provided bearing openings 43a and 43h respectively. Communicating with the opening 43a thereis a slot 44 extending from th'e edge of the side wall. A similar slot 45 communicates with the bearing opening 43h. In the connecting wall 42o, there is a transverse raised section 46 centrally thereof. Through this central section there is an opening 41.

The cross bar 4I is rectangular in end elevation. At one edge, below the switch unit I4, it is notched at two spaced sections 48 and 49. The opposite edge is similarly notched at 5U and 5I and between these notches there is a central cutout section 52. Beneath the unit I5 the cross bar is similarly notched, the notched sections being indicated by the same numerals primed. The cross -bar is inserted in the bearing bracket at the points 48 and'49', at `which points the cross bar is reduced in width, by being slipped through the slots 44 and 45. The cross bar is entered in the slots edgewise. When received in the bearing openings 43a and 43h and turned, it is held within the bearing openings. With the cross bar in the bearing openings, the bearing bracket is inserted in the receptacle in the base of the switch unit. It is secured thereto by a rivet 53 which is molded into a boss 54 extending into the bearing bracket receiving receptacle and engaging the raised portion 46 of the bearing bracket. The cut-out section 52 in the cross bar receives the boss 54. Th'e cross bar is thus journaled at two spaced points in each switch unit and it is supported by the switch units. It extends through the movable switch elements, from one side of the switch unit I5, through the-slot I I in the switchoperating handle 1 and into an opening 55 provided therefor in the sidewall 3 of the cabinet.

'I'he slot Il is an arc of a circle the center and radius of which are arranged with respect to theaxis of angular movement of the switch-operating handle 'I so that successive points on the center line of the slot I I pass the axis of rotation of the cross bar 4I. Since the cross bar is restrained to angular movement, by the bearing brackets in the switch units and the opening 55 in the wall 3, about its longitudinal axis, movement of the switch-operating handle 'I about the axis of the rivet 8 causes the cross bar to assume successive positions as a chord of the circle represented by the slot and so eiects angular movement of the cross bar in the same direction as the switch-operating handle. In this way the movable switch elements of the switch units through which the cross bar extends are caused to move, upon movement of the switch-operating handle, from a position in which the contacts thereon bridge the stationary contacts to a position in which the contacts thereon are within the arc chutes and the insulating material separates the stationary contacts.

To effect a snap action of the switch-operating handle and in consequence the cross bar and movable switch elements, a spring 56 is provided. This spring consists of a single piece of bent spring steel wire shaped, when under tension, substantially as. shown and lying in a single plane. One end 51 yof the spring is slidably mounted in an opening in one leg 58 of an L- shaped bracket 53 secured to the inner surface of the wall 3A of the cabinet. The other end of the 'spring is received in an opening in an arm 60 extending from the edge of the switch-operating handle. It will be seen that the spring tends to straighten out and that when the operating handle is midway between its two positions of movement the spring is contracted the greatest amount. 'In consequence, as theswitch-operating handle passes its mid-position moving in either direction it is snapped to the position in which it is traveling.

The switch described is of the kind that is commonly used on a vertical wall. It will be noted, that when the switch is mounted vertically the solderless connectors 22 and 21 are at the top of the switch so that the line wires enter at the top of the cabinet and are connected at the top of the switch. In addition, the switch is so arranged that when mounted upon a vertical wall the operating handle is in the up position when the switch is on. It has been a problem to reconcile these two features as is thus accomplished in the switch illustrated and described. It will be apparent that with this switch construction multiple pole switches and single pole switches are readily arranged in accordance with the number of switch units utilized.

It will be obvious that various other modifications and changes in the details of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings and described above may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A switch of the kind described comprising in combination a switch unit including a base of electrical insulating material, a pair of spaced,

stationary electrical contacts mounted on the block of insulating material, a U-shaped bearing bracket having aligned bearing openings in the leg portions thereof secured to the underside of the base, a cro-ss bar rectangular in end elevation having reduced sections journaled in the bearing openings in said bearing bracket and extending from the side of the base, a movable switch element positioned to bridge the stationary contacts and secured to the cross bar for movement therewith and a contact on the movable switch element arranged to engage both stationary contacts in one position of the switch element, and a rotatably mounted operating handle connected to the cross bar.

2. A switch of the kind described comprising in combination a switch unit including a base of electrical insulating material, stationary electrical contacts mounted on the block of insulating material, a U-shaped bearing bracket having f aligned bearing openings in the leg portions thereof and communicating slots extending from the edges thereof secured to the under side of the base, a cross bar rectangular in end elevation having reduced sections `iournaled in the bearing openings in said bearing bracket and extending from the side of the base, a movable switch element arranged to bridge the stationary contacts and secured to the cross bar for movement therewith and a contact on the switch element positioned to engage the stationary contacts in one position of the switch element, and a rotatably mounted operating handle connected to the cross bar.

3. A switch of the kind described comprising in combination a switch unit including a base of electrical insulating material having a bearing bracket receptacle in the base thereof, stationary electrical contacts mounted on the block of insulating material, a U-shaped bearing bracket having aligned bearing openings in the leg portions thereof and communicating slots extending from the edges thereof secured to the under side of the base and extending into the aforesaid receptacle, a cross bar rectangular in end elevation having reduced sections journaled in the bearing openings in said bearing bracket and extending from the side of the base, a movable switch element arranged to bridge the stationary contacts and secured to thecross bar for movement therewith and a Contact on the switch element positioned to engage the stationary contacts in one position of the switch element, and a rotatably mounted operating handle connected to the cross bar.

4. A switch of the kind described comprising in combination a switch-operating handle mounted for angular movement and having an arcuate slot therethrough eccentric to the axis of movement of the handle, a switch unit including a base of electrical insulating material, a pair of spaced, stationary switch contacts mounted on the base, a rotatable cross bar rectangular in end elevation extending from one side of the base, through the arcuate slot in the switchoperating handle and engaging the edges thereof, a movable switch element secured to the cross bar, and a contact on the movable switch-element arranged to engage and bridge the stationary contacts in on position of the movable switch element.

5. A switch of the kind described comprising in combination a switch-operating handle mounted for angular movement and having an arcuate slot therethrough at one side of the axis of movement of the operating handle and convexed towards the axis of movement of the operating handle, a switch unit including a base of electrical insulating material, a pair of spaced, stationary switch contacts mounted on the base, a rotatable cross bar rectangular in end elevation extending from one side of the base, through the arcuate slot in the switch-operating handle and engaging the edges thereof, a movable switch element secured to the cross bar, and a Contact on the movable switch element arranged to engage and bridge the stationary contacts in on position of the movable switch element.

6. In a switch of the kind described the combination comprising a switch-operating handle pivotally mounted between its ends and having an arcuate slot therethrough eccentric to the pivotal axis thereof, and a rotatably mounted switch operating bar having a width greater than the thickness thereof and greater than the width of the slot in said operating handle, the bar extending into the arcuate slot in the handle.

ALFRED R. KUHN. GEORGE J. FRISC'HMANN. 

